Contents

Synopsis

Every time a child turns ten, they go on a Pokémon journey. This is the case of a boy named Ash Ketchum, who is about to get his starter Pokémon. After his clock fell down, he rushes to Professor Oak's lab and gets a Pikachu. However, Pikachu is stubborn and does not want to help Ash. However, Ash makes a flock of Spearow angry and they attack him and Pikachu. How will Ash defend his first Pokémon and gain Pikachu's trust?

Episode Plot

A battle between a Nidorino and Gengar is broadcast on the television and, after Gengar gets the advantage, Nidorino is called back and switched for Onix. The cameras then show ten year old Ash Ketchum watching the battle on television, until he is interrupted by his mother. She tells Ash to go to sleep. Ash protests and she changes the channel to a program with Professor Oak describing the three Pokémon he can choose from in the morning: the grass type Bulbasaur, the water type Squirtle and the fire type Charmander. Ash falls asleep and dreams about owning a Bulbasaur and then a Squirtle, talking about the advantages in his sleep. The next morning, Ash dreams about owning a Charmander, throwing a Poké Ball, which turns out to be his alarm clock, designed to look like a Voltorb.

When the alarm clock hits the wall Ash wakes up and rushes, still in his pajamas, to Professor Oak's laboratory to collect his first Pokémon. Ash, however, runs into Gary Oak, the professor's grandson, along with the people of Pallet Town, who, along with Gary's cheerleaders, show their support for Gary. Gary tells Ash that he already got his Pokémon, although he does not tell Ash which Pokémon he chose. Gary, who tells Ash that he is already behind, leaves with his cheerleaders and the townsfolk following. Professor Oak then appears, telling Ash that he is late. The two go inside, where the Professor tells him that the three starter Pokémon have been taken by trainers who were on time.

The Professor tells Ash that there is still one Pokémon left, a Pikachu. Professor Oak then warns Ash that it might not be a good idea to choose Pikachu. However, Ash decides to take Pikachu, but Pikachu is not as happy and electrocutes Ash. Oak then gives Ash his Pokédex and Poké Balls, with Pikachu electrocuting both Ash and Professor Oak. Ash then leaves the laboratory and is greeted by his mother and the people of Pallet Town. His mother is impressed with choice but Pikachu electrocutes Ash's mom and the crowd. Ash is given his backpack filled with supplies and some advice from his mother, and leaves, literally dragging Pikachu behind him, after tying a rope around Pikachu's waist and using rubber gloves to protect himself.

After dragging Pikachu along for a while, he decides to try and improve his relationship with Pikachu by untying him and taking off the rubber gloves. Pikachu, however, continues to ignore Ash's instructions, including when he asks Pikachu to attack a Pidgey. Ash throws a Poké Ball and almost captures Pidgey, who escapes and runs away, with Pikachu happily laughing at Ash's failed attempt. Ash then decides to sneak up on Pidgey, hiding behind his pajama top, later using it to trap Pidgey, who escapes using its Gust attack and then its Sand Attack. Pikachu continues to laugh at Ash, who then watches a Rattata steal food from his backpack.

Ash, more determined than ever, turns around and spots three Pidgey, including the one he had tried to capture. Ash throws a rock but misses, with the three Pidgey flying away. Ash then spots another Pokémon and throws a rock, and hits his target. The Pokémon, however, is a Spearow, who begins to attack Ash and then Pikachu. Pikachu uses ThunderShock to scare Spearow away, although Spearow cries out and a whole flock begins to attack Ash and Pikachu, who run away but are easily caught and attacked by the Spearow. Pikachu, who had run ahead of Ash, takes a lot of damage before Ash arrives to scare away the attacking Spearow.

Ash picks Pikachu up and runs to a cliff edge, where he decides to jump off and into the water below, where he sees a Magikarp and a Gyarados. He then grabs a fishing lure and is pulled out by Misty, who questions Ash about the state Pikachu is in, telling him of a nearby Pokémon Center. Ash takes her bike and cycles off towards the Pokémon Center, with the flock of Spearow following behind them. Ash crashes the bike and crawls over to Pikachu, putting a Poké Ball out for Pikachu to enter, to protect it from the attacking Spearow. Ash then stands up to the Spearow, challenging them to attack him. Pikachu, seeing Ash's courage and determination to protect him gets to his feet and climbs on to Ash's shoulder, jumping into the air and using a lighting bolt to release a strong ThunderShock attack, which scares away the Spearow flock.

Later on, when the storm clears, Ash and Pikachu wake up. Ash tells Pikachu that they beat the Spearow Gang and Pikachu nods in agreement. Ash looks up into the sky and sees a mysterious flying Pokémon in the sky towards a rainbow. The Pokédex can give Ash no information as it was not registered in it and tells Ash that there were still more Pokémon which have not been discovered. Ash and Pikachu decide to walk on towards the Pokémon Center in the next city (Viridian City), as Misty's bike is too badly damaged to use. The two continue walking and eventually, from a hill top, are able to look down on the city as the episode ends.

"Hey I got a bite! Oh wow I really think this could be a big one." — Misty before reeling in Ash

"Nah, it's just a kid. Oh and a Pokémon. Aww, are you OK?" — Misty after reeling in Ash

"Yeah, I'm ok." — Ash

"Not you! Look what you've done to that poor little thing. Is it breathing?" — Misty

"Spearows! Do you know who I am? I'm Ash from the town of Pallet. I am destined to be the worlds number one Pokémon Master. I can't be defeated by the likes of you. I'm going to capture and defeat you all. You hear me? Pikachu, go inside the Poké Ball it's the only way. Come and get me!" — Ash's first speech

Trivia

After Nidorino is put to sleep, its trainer calls it back. This trainer's silhouette is said to be Bruno's.

The trainer throws a green and white Poké Ball, suggesting that his Pokémon was captured in the Safari Zone using a Safari Ball.

The episode reveals that Spearow are color blind.

Ho-Oh is seen flying during the episode, despite not being introduced as a Pokémon at this point and despite being a Pokémon in the Johto region.

Rattata's name is mispronounced during the episode.

The "Who's that Pokémon?" in this episode is Pikachu.

Mistakes

When Ash was throwing his Poké Ball in his dream, the ball was painted red on both sides.

Gary addresses Ash as if he has never met him before, despite the fact that they were childhood friends.

In the dub, near the end of the episode, Ash calls the Spearow "Spearows", even though the plural and singular forms of a Pokémon name are the same.

Dub differences

Misty slaps Ash shortly after they meet, although the scene was cut when the episode was dubbed into English.

The background of the episode's title card was different compared to the other episode title cards in the dub.

In addition, the episode's introduction music was different in the dub as well.

The crowd chanting for Ash was edited out in the dub.

In the original, Misty says that there is a hospital in Viridian City, while in the dub, she tells Ash it's nearby.

Gallery

Japanese title card

English title card

Ash makes a pose

Ash's mom Delia comes in after catching an alarm clock

Delia reminds Ash he has to go to bed

Ash muttering in his sleep

Ash runs to Oak's lab

Gary, Ash's rival

Ash picks the empty Poké Balls

Ash sends a Pokémon

Pikachu shocks Ash

Ash and Oak get shocked by Pikachu

Delia and a crowd appears in front of Ash

Delia gives her son some supplies for his journey

Pikachu does not like the comment from Ash's mom

Delia got dazed after shocked by Pikachu

The Pokédex

Pikachu shows its mouth in response to Ash's question (in the Japanese version, Ash asks Pikachu to talk to him (hanashi) but takes it as "ha nashi" meaning that it has no teeth, therefore it opens its mouth to show its teeth)